DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand government has suspended the Char Dham Yatra for Tuesday and Wednesday as incessant rain triggered landslides, flash-flood fears and road blockades across the hill state, damaging key pilgrimage routes and disrupting traffic.
The decision was taken after the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a flash-flood risk forecast. Relief and rescue teams have been placed on alert, while Garhwal Commissioner Anand Swaroop ordered the two-day suspension in view of pilgrims’ safety.
In Rudraprayag district, a landslide from an adjoining hillside blocked the approach to a 900-metre-long tunnel. Officials clarified that the debris had accumulated near the tunnel’s outer approach portion, affecting traffic, amid continuing downpours.
In Dehradun, the approach road to a bridge constructed barely a fortnight ago caved in, disrupting vehicular movement. The district magistrate has ordered an inquiry into the incident. Rivers across the state remained swollen.
Rudraprayag District Disaster Management Officer Nandan Singh Rajwar told TNIE that the Alaknanda was in spate. “Although the water levels of the Mandakini and Alaknanda receded slightly below the danger mark in the afternoon, they continue to hover around the warning level because of incessant heavy rain,” Rajwar said.
"A landslide near Hanuman Barrier in Sonprayag trapped two people this morning. One local resident died on the spot, while a Nepali man was seriously injured. SDRF and police rescued him to Sonprayag," DDMO Rajwar confirmed.
The swollen Alaknanda also submerged a giant statue of Lord Shiva at Belni, underlining the severity of the situation.
In Mussoorie, debris and boulders cascading from a hillside destroyed a roadside restaurant near Pani Wala Band on the Mussoorie-Dehradun road. Those inside escaped after hearing the sound of falling rocks and rushing out in time. No casualties were reported.
A major landslide near Gasti Band also blocked the Mussoorie-Kempty Road national highway, leaving commuters stranded.
In Uttarkashi, a portion of the Jankichatti-Yamunotri pedestrian route subsided after the water level in a nearby river rose sharply. The damaged section near Ram Mandir has been declared unsafe for pilgrims. “A 25- to 30-metre stretch of the Jankichatti-Yamunotri pedestrian route near Ram Mandir has subsided by around two to 2.5 metres because of the rise in the river’s water level,” Uttarkashi District Disaster Management Officer Jaiprakash Singh Panwar told TNIE.
“The route is not safe for pilgrims at present. An alternative path needs to be created, and workers will be deployed at the earliest,” he added.
Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman urged residents and pilgrims to remain cautious. “People must take the weather department’s warnings seriously and avoid unnecessary travel,” he said.
The IMD has issued an orange alert for nine districts and a yellow alert for four. It warned of thunderstorms, lightning and spells of extremely heavy rain in some areas, with intense showers also likely elsewhere.
Several district administrations have ordered schools and anganwadi centres to remain closed as a precaution. Authorities advised people to stay away from rivers, landslide-prone slopes and blocked roads until conditions improve.